


You Are My Light

by whisperingdusk



Series: Aera Auvryndar [2]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Angst, Collection of scenes from the campaign, Drow, Dungeon of the Mad Mage - Freeform, Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Give your local sad drider a hug, Orignal character - Freeform, She really needs one, drider, mostly just fluff though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:29:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24311338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whisperingdusk/pseuds/whisperingdusk
Summary: When she came to Undermountain, finding love wasn't something Aera expected. But the dungeon is a strange place, and a duergar woman far below the surface was able to remind the cleric of Lathander what it was like to feel the warmth of the sun once more.
Relationships: Aera Auvryndar/Skella Ironeye
Series: Aera Auvryndar [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1750933
Kudos: 3





	You Are My Light

**Author's Note:**

> I went through every recap and two notebooks of vague notes for this but here it is, every interaction that I can remember of my D&D character Aera and her dwarf gf Skella + some original scenes.

The air of the dungeon was cold, and filled with a feeling of loneliness as Aera Auvryndar stood alone outside the protective dome her party slept in.

Through their journey in Undermountain, she had never slept alone, exposed to the dangers of the dungeon. The party had always been protected by the tiny hut their bard conjured every night- but in her current state, as she sadly realized, she no longer fit within the small space.

She had been transformed into a drider earlier that day, the lower half of her body twisted into the form of a spider, a curse given to her in a terrifying encounter with her former goddess. She sat down outside the dome, trying to fold her eight legs into a somewhat comfortable position, but not finding a way. Sadness began to set in as she looked at what she had become, wondering if she would ever feel like herself again.

She heard footsteps behind her, turning to see their new duergar companion, Skella Ironeye, sit down near her- a short woman with long red hair, red eyes, and dark gray skin similar to her own. 

“I'm not going to sleep in that tiny dome with a bunch of people I don’t know. I’ll stay out here with you.”

The drider was shocked for a moment, but nodded, glad to have some company. She looked to the duergar, surprised to find no look of disgust or fear. She was the first person Aera had met since her curse, and it brought her a bit of happiness to know that maybe she wouldn’t be seen as a monster by everyone.

⸻

Over the next few rests, Aera had begun to adjust to how to sleep as a drider. Though she was separated from her friends, the comforting presence of Skella brought her some peace. Alone together in the caves of the Lost Level, the two began to talk, sharing stories of how they got to where they were. The two looked out for each other, taking watches while the other rested, and with each passing night, the distance between them lessened.

⸻

The battle continued, Aera launching spells of fire from her position on the side of a column of stone. The height had frightened her at first, the drider worried she would fall off at any moment, but it seemed spider legs were good for one thing at least. As the monster fell to the ground, she glanced down to see Skella looking at her with admiration sparkling in her soft red eyes. Aera smiled warmly at her as the battle came to an end. 

She thought back to the quiet conversations they had every night, and the warmth that every interaction with the duergar brought her. There was something that drew the drider to her, a feeling she didn’t know how to describe.

Her spider legs started to slip from the column for a moment in her distraction, before she snapped back into reality, regaining her hold and coming back down to the ground. The thought of moving as a spider still filled her with revulsion and fear, but she was beginning to grow used to it. And the way Skella saw her with respect, even though she had not known her before this curse… maybe things weren’t going to be as bad as she thought. 

⸻

She walked next to the duergar woman as they explored the Lost Level. Aera felt a strange glow in her heart whenever she was near, like being in the sun’s light again. They walked together closer than necessary, and every step beside her made her feel both at peace and full of nerves.

Their hands accidentally brushed together in their closeness, and a wave of emotions once again came over her at the warmth of the contact, her heart starting to race. She looked to Skella and saw surprise in her eyes as well, but the two of them didn’t move away. 

Without thinking, she reached out to hold the duergar’s hand in hers, wanting to feel that warmth again. The two of them walked through the dark tunnels, hands together, and a soft smile made its way onto Aera’s face. Being like this, at her side, felt so natural.

⸻

“Before you all go, Aera, can I... talk to you in private?” She heard Skella ask hesitantly. 

The drider turned around to see the dwarf looking up at her, before quickly looking away.

“Of course, what is it?” Aera asked as the duergar led her to another part of the cave.

“Before you all leave, and go on your adventures, I wanted to tell you that- well, you’re so strong, and brave, and beautiful, and...” The dwarf fidgeted with hands as she spoke, looking down at the ground and speaking quietly, before trailing off and looking at Aera nervously.

“I- Well... thank you.” She felt herself blush as her heart began to beat faster.

“Would you... “ Skella blushed. “Come closer, I... want to tell you something.”

The drider obeyed, leaning closer and reducing some of the difference in height between them. Her heart beat even faster at the closeness between them.

“I…” Skella paused, seeming unsure of what to say, then reached out to hold Aera’s face in her hands before kissing her.

_Oh._

So that’s what the feeling was, the warmth whenever she was around, the way her presence made her smile when nothing else could.

Aera stood there for a few moments, unsure of what to do, how to respond, still processing what she was feeling.

Skella started to back away, but Aera held the duergar’s hand in her own before she could leave.

“Wait.” She looked into Skella’s hopeful eyes, remembering all the times that look had brought her happiness she thought she’d never feel again, feeling joy and warmth as if the dwarf was the sun itself, and leaned down to kiss her. 

When she opened her eyes again, the expression of absolute joy she saw on Skella’s face was a sight she would keep close to her heart forever.

“Your friends are waiting, you should go with them… but if you’re ever in Skullport… Come find me?” The duergar looked up at her hopefully. Aera nodded.

“I will.” She was smiling, truly smiling, for the first time after her transformation.

She walked back to her friends as they prepared to leave for the next level, looking back to Skella one last time, happiness at last returned to her heart.

⸻

After long adventures spent in the caverns of Undermountain, the party made their return to Skullport. Aera’s heart beat faster as she approached, remembering Skella’s words to her earlier.

The party walked around the city to sell their treasure and buy items, and Aera looked around for a sign of the duergar, growing more nervous with every step. As the party stood in a shop, she finally heard a familiar voice.

“Well, you’re a hard woman to track down.” She turned around to see Skella Ironeye standing behind her.

Joy and nerves flooded her mind at her unexpected appearance, and after a moment of shock she pulled the duergar in for a hug. The duergar laughed and returned the hug, and the two stayed in the embrace of each other before Skella pulled away.

“Come with me, I want to show you all something.” She held Aera’s hand as she led the party to the docks of Skullport, and revealed to them a large house boat.

“This is where i’ve been staying... You can all stay here whenever you’re in town.” Skella looked up to Aera with a hopeful smile. She smiled back and nodded, and Skella led them around the ship, their hands still together.

The party was exhausted after their long walk through the levels of Undermountain, and so Skella showed them to the rooms where they could sleep- and to the room that Aera and Skella would share.

“Much better than those cave floors, right?” Skella said as the two stepped inside.

She was reminded of the last time she had slept in Skullport, when she had been attacked by her family’s assassins in the middle of the night. Fear began to creep into her mind at the memory, but before it could take hold, she felt Skella hold her hand once more. The touch brought her back into reality, and the cold of fear was replaced by the comforting warmth her presence always brought. She looked up into Skella’s eyes, seeing the look of concern the dwarf gave her, before the drider pulled her into a hug.

“Thank you,” Aera said softly. Skella’s arms wrapped around her, and in that moment all her anxieties vanished. 

“Well, I wasn’t just going to leave you alone. Come on, you need rest.” The dwarf pulled away to guide her to the bed, and she relaxed at the softness, a welcome difference from her uncomfortable rests in the dungeon.

Sleeping in a bed for the first time since her transformation was difficult, but eventually she found a way. As she finally settled into place, she felt Skella wrap her arms hesitantly around her. The feeling of warmth and safety flooded over her once more, as she reached out to hold her as well. With the two of them in the arms of each other, she could finally feel at peace.

For the first night since her descent into Undermountain, she could finally let her guard down. 

⸻

She awoke the next morning, to the feeling of something around her, holding her in place. Fear ran through her as she thought of when she was restrained in the webs of her siblings as they attacked her in the night, at the memory of being held down in the Spider Queen’s webs with nowhere to run. Her eyes snapped open as her breathing quickened- before she remembered where she was.

Skella’s arms were still around her, the dwarf sleeping peacefully at her side. She sighed in relief, slowing her breathing once more. There were no threats here, there was nothing to worry about. She was safe.

Being an elf, she always woke up much earlier than everyone else- but here, in Skella’s arms, there was no need. She looked to the sleeping dwarf, smiling softly as she laid back down, the feeling of warmth and safety she brought filling her once more as she closed her eyes. She would eventually have to return to the frightening tunnels of the dungeon, but for now, she could rest.

⸻

The time eventually came for the party to return deeper into the dungeon. As they turned away to leave the boat, Skella reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together.

"You'll come back, right?" The duergar asked, looking to her hopefully. Aera smiled, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead.

"Of course I will."

Many times, the drider had wondered if it was a mistake to descend into Undermountain, if all the constant danger was worth it. But now that she had met Skella, she knew that she had made the right decision.

⸻

The party made their return to Skullport at last, after all that had happened. Aera approached the docks hopefully, excited to see Skella once more. The ship approached them, much larger than it had been before, and flying the bright colors of Lathander.

The bridge lowered between them, and Skella stood to greet them, a crew of goblins and bugbears behind her. She looked more intimidating than before, wearing the clothes of a ship captain and with a large new scar across the left side of her face. Her features shifted into a soft smile as the party approached, and as Aera ran up to lift her into a hug before kissing her. 

“I made some changes to the ship. I call it the _Wrath of the Morning._ I thought you’d like it,” Skella said as she pulled away, gesturing to the many sun symbols that now decorated the ship, as Aera looked around in wonder. 

“It's… beautiful. Thank you,” she said, bringing a hand to her sun amulet as she remembered her days in the temple of Lathander, back in Waterdeep.

Aera held both Skella’s hands in hers as she looked into her eyes. “We were thinking of taking a vacation back to Waterdeep soon… would you like to see the sun?” The duergar looked at her in surprise for a moment, before looking away.

“I’m actually… kind of afraid of sunlight. But if it's with you, I think I can.” Skella met her eyes again with a smile.

Aera ran a thumb over their joined hands. “I understand. When I first came to the surface… It took some getting used to. I was scared at first too, but then I grew to love it. The warmth, the light, it feels… well, it feels like when I met you.” Skella blushed, before looking at her hopefully.

“I look forward to it, then.”

⸻

The reunion was bittersweet as the party learned of the situation of Pebbles, an awakened bear they had befriended months earlier. He lay still on one of the rooms of the Wrath of the Morning, the crew of goblins gathered around him. His soul was missing, and he would soon die without it.

The voice of the Mad Mage possessed the bear, taunting the party and mocking their desire to leave the dungeon. He told them they had ten days to descend into the dungeon again, deep into the levels below to retrieve his soul, or he would be gone forever. The party looked sadly to each other, their plans of vacation back to the surface fading away.

The party spent the night gathering supplies they would need for their journey, and then gathered in the restaurant of Skullport, sharing stories of their adventures in the levels below with the friends they had met over their journey in Undermountain.

Fear began to creep over the drider at the memory of their recent fights, where she had come close to death numerous times since her last visit to Skullport. She felt Skella reach for her hand, and she calmed once again. 

She told of the reunion with her mother and the desperate fight for her life against her family, though quietly and leaving many details out. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to speak of that day fully without breaking down yet. 

⸻

Later in the night, Aera looked closer at Skella, and to the J-shaped scar on the left side of her face. She raised a hand to it, before holding that side of her face in her hand.

“What happened? How did you get that scar?” The drider asked, golden eyes full of concern.

“Well… Remember how Wynter said that if Jarlaxle ever came by, to kick him in the balls?” Skella said with a laugh. Aera’s eyes widened in shock at her words.

“He came aboard my ship without permission and started harassing me, and so I did! I kicked him in the balls! And then he carved this into my face and ran off. Makes for a cool scar though, right?”

Fear filled the drider as she looked at her in surprise, before hugging Skella tightly.

“That was dangerous! He could have killed you, he almost killed me, he-” She held on tighter to Skella as the memory overtook her of Jarlaxle’s rapiers stabbing into her as her vision faded away. She was pulled out of it as she felt Skella’s arms wrap around her reassuringly.

“He didn’t kill me. And he didn’t kill you either. Of course you made it out alive, you’re strong. You can make it out of anything.” Aera looked away, remembering how powerless she had been at the end of the fight.

“No- I wasn’t. I wasn’t strong enough. If help hadn’t shown up… I would have died.” She looked back to Skella. “Please, don’t do anything reckless like that again. I don’t want to lose you.” Skella held a hand to her face, looking into her eyes.

“You won't lose me, I promise. I’ll be careful.” 

⸻

As the two returned to their room in the Wrath of the Morning, the walls she had put up to block out the memories of that day began to come down as she could finally process what had happened. The cold filled her once more as she began to shake, and she reached for Skella’s hand to steady her as the two sat in their bed together.

“Aera? Are you ok?” Skella looked at her with concern.

Aera looked at her, sadness in her eyes and she began to tell the full story of what happened in the throne hall of her family, the tears she had held back for days finally beginning to spill as she spoke. She told her of the hurt, the betrayal, and the fear she felt as she had run desperately, and of how she nearly hadn’t made it out alive. 

She told her of her last conversation with her mother, as she learned that the love the matron had finally shown her had been nothing but a lie.

Skella’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her in close as she ran a hand through her white hair to comfort her. 

“It’s okay. You’re here now. I’m here.” The duergar continued to hold her, speaking softly to her as the drider cried quietly in her arms. 

She eventually found rest, as the comforting presence of Skella at last began to heal the emotional wounds of that day. 

⸻

The time came for the party to return back to the depths of the dungeon, their time of rest cut painfully short by the urgent mission they had to do. Aera gave Skella one last hug before she made her departure. She held the duergar’s face in her hands, looking into her eyes. 

“We’ll come back. And one day, we’ll see the sun together.” 

Skella smiled at her, kissing her one last time.

“Now that I've known you, I feel like I already have.”

⸻

Their mission complete and the soul of Pebbles freed, the party ascended back through the levels of Undermountain, alongside the group of githzerai they had met in the levels below. 

She and Skella ran into each other’s arms once more as the party returned to Skullport, stepping aboard the Wrath of the Morning once more.

“We can’t stay long. We promised our new allies here that we would help them with something,” The drider explained sadly as she pulled away.

“I understand. Let’s just enjoy the time we have,” Skella told her with a smile, holding her hand as she led them once more to where Pebbles rested.

The crew of the Wrath of the Morning gathered around, looking to the party in hope as they brought out the bag containing the bear’s soul.

His eyes opened at last, his soul restored, and the crew rejoiced. The celebrations were diminished, however, as the party looked back to the group of gith, knowing that they would have to leave again soon.

“I see that you are all tired from your journey here, and you have friends here. We can wait until the morning to leave,” The leader of the gith announced. Smiles returned to the party, and Aera and Skella embraced once more. 

⸻

As she awoke the next morning in the arms of Skella, she imagined not for the first time what it would be like to just… stay like this. To stay by her love’s side, spending every day in the peace and warmth that Skella brought to her life, rather than the constant fighting and threat of death that filled every day of the adventuring life. Though they only had short moments together, she treasured those times more than any other. 

She silently sent her prayers to Lathander in the peace of the early morning, praying for him to watch over the duergar and keep her beloved safe while she was gone, for she meant more to Aera than any other. Skella was the light that kept her going, when she was so far from the Morning Lord’s rays.

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” The dwarf said softly to her when she eventually woke up, reaching out to hold her hand. 

“Me too. But they need our help, and I can’t leave them after all they did for us.” Skella entwined their hands together, looking up at Aera with a smile.

“Go be a hero, my love. Then come back and tell me your stories.” 

“I will. I’ll always come back to you,” The drider said, kissing Skella softly on the forehead.

⸻

As the party returned to Skullport once more to pick up some items and gather supplies, Aera made her way to the jewelry shop. She looked down at the sketchbook page she held close to her, of the designs she had drawn. She took a moment to gather her courage, and then opened the door. 

She spoke with the shopkeepers, her voice nervous and quiet as she showed them the page and described what it was she wanted made. They smiled and told her it would be done later that day, and happiness filled her heart as she looked at her designs one last time- at the drawings of two beautiful sun-shaped rings.

⸻

  
  


_"In the constant movement of this life, I had never taken the time to consider… this."_ Aera wrote quietly in her diary in the early hours of the morning as everyone else slept, careful not to disturb the rare moment of peace. 

_"In Menzoberranzan, it wasn't something you thought about. You can't trust anyone there. The concept of… love, isn't spoken of. To be vulnerable is to die."_

_"When I came to the surface, it was a shock to see that people could care so deeply for one another. But decades of fear and distrust do not fade quickly, and so I never considered the thought for myself."_

_"I focused on my work at the temple. I gave healing and prayers to the people of Waterdeep, and was friendly to all, though never really close to any."_

_"And then my path took me to Undermountain, a return to lightless tunnels, where trust was once again dangerous. With threats around every corner, you do not pause to consider love."_

_"I had not seen the sun in so long. I was, and still am, cursed with a form I cannot stand. I felt I was beginning to lose myself."_

She paused from her writing to look over at the sleeping dwarf beside her, her frown replaced with a warm smile as she saw Skella unconsciously reach out for her, her hands brushing against her own. She laced their fingers together, letting their arms rest at their sides.

_"And then I met her, and it felt as if I was once again in the light of dawn. She accepted what I hated, and hope returned to my heart, along with something else. It was… strange, and new. A warmth like the sun, filling my chest whenever she was near. I didn't understand what it was, until she confessed to me in that cave months ago."_

_"I had thought in my earlier years that love was not for me, that someone like myself would always be apart from the people around."_

She leaned down to press a kiss to the forehead of the sleeping Skella, brushing a thumb over their joined hands.

_"What a fool I was. For though there may be no sun here, she is my light."_

⸻

After Aera finished her writing and her morning prayers, she heard footsteps and voices from beyond the door. She quietly made her way to the door, careful not to wake the sleeping dwarf beside her. She stepped outside to see the party members that had been separated from them earlier, now returned- though the reunion also came with disappointing news. 

Their visit to Skullport would be cut short yet again, for the gith far below in the dungeon needed their urgent help once more. She looked sadly to the door of their room, where Skella still slept. Her heart sank at having to leave so soon after she had finally reunited with her, but she could never turn down someone in need. 

As the others woke, the news was shared with them all- their aid was needed once more. Skella emerged from their room, looking for her, and it hurt Aera’s heart to tell her she had to leave once more.

As the party said their goodbyes and turned to leave for the depths of the dungeon once more, Skella reached out to hold Aera’s face between her hands, and kissed her.

“Come back to me, my sun.” The dwarf’s soft red eyes looked deep into her own. Aera smiled, wishing this moment could last longer- but her duties as an adventurer pulled them apart once more.

“I will. I promise.”

As the party turned to leave for the boat on their path to the levels below once more, Aera gave one last look to Skella, wanting to keep the sight of her beloved close through whatever came next.

The ring seemed to weigh heavily in her pockets, but another chance would come. She was sure of it. 

⸻

Their mission for the gith complete, the party set out for Skullport once more, as they at last made their plans for their vacation to Waterdeep. As they took their rest within Zox’s castle in one of the deeper levels, Aera thought happily of all the places she wanted to show Skella once they finally returned. She held her sun amulet in her hands, excited to soon feel the sun’s warm rays against her skin again- and to share that feeling with her love. 

She drifted into sleep peacefully, joy and excitement in her heart as she imagined their break from the dungeon at last- before her dreams turned dark and frightening, all her worst fears coming for her at once- along with countless mind flayers, more than she could ever hope to fight, surrounding from all sides-

She snapped awake, shaking in fear and clutching her necklace painfully tight. When the tremors finally died down, she looked around to see the others had awoken similarly frightened.

Thoughts of fear left her mind as she remembered where they were going, replaced by excitement once more. The party made their way through the familiar paths between archgates, ascending through the levels once more, before finally arriving at Skullport.

After a joyous reunion, the Wrath of the Morning set sail for Waterdeep at last. The brightness of the morning sky stung their eyes, having grown used to the dim caverns of Undermountain, but as their sight adjusted, open skies spread around them at last. 

The sun, at last. It’s warmth against her skin felt so nice, after so long away from its comforting rays. She closed her eyes as the light of the morning washed over her. She had missed this feeling so much in the months spent underground. 

She opened her eyes and looked behind her, to see Skella sitting down in the shadow, hiding from the bright sunlight. Aera walked over to her slowly, sitting down next to her and putting an arm around her comfortingly. She smiled softly at the duergar as she looked up at her.

“It’s okay. I’m with you. And… if it's too much, we can stay out of the sun," She assured the dwarf, holding out a hand.

Skella nodded, taking her hand as Aera stood up, and the two of them walked into the light of the sun together. The duergar clutched onto her tightly, then relaxed slightly as Aera wrapped her arms around her. 

The citizens of Waterdeep gathered around the docks, cheering at the return of the adventurers. The party spent the day celebrating late into the night in the city their adventures began in. 

Strangely, some parts of the city didn’t seem right. Details seemed… off. Things weren’t quite as she had remembered. But she had been gone so long that she assumed things had changed, or she had remembered wrong. She was home at last, there was nothing to worry about.

⸻

As the rest of the party returned to their old home in Trollskull Alley to rest after their day of celebrating, Aera took Skella for a walk around the city, their hands together. The sun had set and the streets were clear of crowds, and a cool breeze drifted through the air as Aera gathered the words she had wanted to say for so long. 

“So… how do you like the city?” Aera asked nervously.

“It’s nice. Though, I don’t think I could stay here forever… if I wasn’t with you.” Skella looked up at her with a smile.

“And, staying here with me… is that something you would want to do?” Aera asked hopefully, as she held the sun ring out of sight in her other hand.

“Aera, is this…?” The duergar looked to her in surprise, blushing. The drider looked at her warmly, calming her nerves as she gathered her thoughts one last time. 

“When we met, I thought I was losing myself. I was so… sad, and afraid, and worried that everyone would be frightened of me.” She held a hand to Skella’s face, thinking back to their first meeting, and how much closer they had grown since. 

“You brought me hope. You were my light, when I hadn’t seen the sun in so long. Knowing you has brought me more happiness than anything else.” She paused, remembering all the days they shared together, and wishing to spend many more with her. Love shone in her golden eyes as she spoke her next words, revealing the ring at last.

“Skella Ironeye, my light… Will you marry me?” 

The duergar paused a moment, before pulling her into a hug and kissing her.

“Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!” Skella exclaimed, as the two stood together in the arms of each other.

Her surroundings seemed to flicker in the edges of her vision, but she closed her eyes, focusing only on the moment. She was happy now, in the arms of the one she loved, and that was what mattered. In her presence, all her worries faded away. 

⸻

The next morning, Aera made her way to the Spires of the Morning alongside her friends. She hadn’t seen the temple in so long, and when she had left for Undermountain, she hadn’t been on the best terms with them. She fought down her nerves as she neared, focusing instead on Skella’s hand in hers. 

At last, she would be free of the curse that had twisted her form for so long. Pebbles walked to the other side of her, assuring her that they would get her body back, no matter how the temple reacted to her.

To her surprise, the priests and priestesses that had once cast her out greeted her warmly as she entered, no trace of the reactions she had feared. They led the drider to the room where the ritual would take place, everything already set up as if they had been expecting her return. 

The priests took their place around her, as Aera sat in the center of the room, the sunlight spilling in from the window to where she was. The ritual began, and with their prayers the sun’s rays seemed to intensify on her. The light turned brighter, blinding, as she looked up to see the face of Lathander himself smiling upon her.

The light began to fade, and when her eyes adjusted, she saw that the Lolth-given curse had left with it. She no longer had eight legs, but two. 

She was truly herself again, at last.

Skella was there in an instant, tackling her into a hug, and the two fell to the ground laughing. 

“You know, since we're already here in a temple…” Skella said as she helped Aera back up, the drow needing to get used to walking normally again. The duergar entwined their hands together as she looked up at her- though now with less distance, as she was back to her original height. 

“Why don’t we get married now?” Her love looked at her with hope shining in her eyes.

Aera looked at her in surprise, before her expression faded into one of warmth and affection.

“I would love that.”

⸻

The priests prepared the temple for the ceremony, and Aera was the happiest she had ever been as her former mentor in the temple helped her get ready, helping her into a beautiful golden dress. As she walked down the aisle, she looked to the crowds to see her friends watching, happy tears in their eyes. She looked ahead once more with a soft smile as Skella stood before her, in a white dress with her long red hair styled beautifully.

As she looked over her lover, her surroundings seemed to flicker again, more intense then before, the temple seeming not right. Something was different in Skella as well- as she looked closer at the details of her face, the memories of what she knew and what she saw before her once again clashed. 

She must have just been tired. It had been so long since she was on the surface, and she had been through so much. It must have just been the stress, or the nervousness- any reason but the suspicion that was slowly beginning to form in her mind with every inconsistency. Everything was fine, she told herself. Everything was perfect. 

The two said their vows, and Aera held Skella tightly in her arms, her _wife,_ focusing on the happiness around her. Something was wrong in the city, her senses told her- but she focused only on the woman in front of her. She was truly happy, after so long. Nothing was going to take this moment from her. 

⸻

Her rest was the most peaceful she had ever had, by Skella’s side and with the spider legs no longer in the way. They awoke together in the morning, laughing together in the soft light of dawn. They descended the stairs to greet the rest of their friends, their hands together, matching rings gleaming in the light. 

The morning was calm, the party finally able to rest and recover from their months of constant fighting and danger. The drow held Skella’s face in her hands, looking into her eyes and enjoying the peace they were finally in.

The moment was interrupted by the sound of screams from outside. 

She ran to the window, seeing crowds running away desperately, some falling over in fear and giving up. And above them all, a large ship descended from the skies, a wave of telepathic force coming over them all as the words sounded in their minds. 

“ **_Your city belongs to us. Surrender your brains. Resistance is futile.”_ **

Her eyes widened in terror as countless mind flayers ran through the city, attacking the citizens, devouring their brains in the streets of the city that had been in quiet peace moments before.

“Aera? What’s going on?” Skella asked fearfully.

She yelled for Skella to hide, begging her to stay safe, before running out the door to face the illithid invasion. She pushed past the fear, clutching her necklace in one hand and throwing the other forward to cast a Wall of Fire in front of the approaching monsters, as the party fought desperately against them. She looked back to the door and prayed that Skella would be safe as she ran forward to face the illithids.

⸻

The party arrived on the illithid ship, having been launched through the air by one of the statues of Waterdeep. 

The reality that she had ignored finally began to set in as the others told her of their plan, having realized their situation earlier. None of this was real. Wherever they were, it wasn’t the Waterdeep they knew. She looked down to the city so far below, a pained look on her face as she witnessed the destruction.

The Skella she had married wasn’t real. And yet, it hurt so much to leave her to the monsters below. The guilt threatened to crush her as she thought of what was happening to her without the party there to hold the illithids off. The look of fear on her face as Aera left was burned into her mind. She should be there to protect her, she should never have to be afraid- the thoughts raced through her mind, even as she tried to tell herself that this wasn’t real.

The woman she left behind in Trollskull Alley wasn’t her Skella. She had to make herself believe that, to bear the overwhelming guilt as she turned away to run through the ship, holding back her tears.

It had all seemed so real. The warmth of her touch as they walked together through the streets, the love in her eyes as Aera proposed, the softness of her words as they talked alone together- it had seemed so much like her. It was everything she had ever wanted, the peace and happiness she had dreamed of for so long. 

No matter how many times she repeated to herself that none of what was currently happening was real, she couldn’t get the thought out of her mind.

She had left Skella behind to die.

⸻

She awoke at last, exhausted and barely able to move. The space around her was cold and confining. Light came from above, bright and painful to her weak eyes, as the lid to her surroundings was removed. 

“I finally found you guys!” The voice of a familiar flumph reached her ears, and the creature floated down to help her out.

“...Where am I? What happened?” She asked weakly, the action painful as if she hadn’t spoken in ages. 

“You’re in Seadeeps! And you’ve all been missing for a year!” 

Horror filled her thoughts. A _year_? No, that couldn’t be true, it had only been a few days- 

Her hands flew up to the holy symbol around her neck in an attempt to calm herself, only to find that it wasn’t there. None of her belongings were there, nothing but a white shirt- and eight spider legs, once more. She looked around frantically at her surroundings, seeing walls of unmistakably illithid design, and countless metal pods like the one she had just been in. 

All the joy and happiness she had felt, the memories made- the sunlight, proposing to Skella, her transformation back into a drow, her wedding- all of it had been nothing but a simulation.

⸻

The illithids defeated, their equipment regained, and the other prisoners of the mind flayers freed, the party took the boat up to Skullport at last, on their way to the surface.

She thought with guilt of the last time she had seen Skella, the _real_ Skella, and how she had promised to return, only to disappear for so long. 

What would she say to her? What had happened in all that time? Was she still there? Would she… still be waiting?

She closed her eyes and brought a hand up to her necklace, running a thumb over it to calm herself. It would be fine. She would see her again, and everything would be fine.

The boat neared closer to Skullport, as she thought with happiness of her reunion with Skella at last- before the smell of smoke came over her. 

Her eyes snapped open, and she gasped as she looked at her surroundings. 

There was nothing but piles of burning rubble, only destruction where a city once was.

Everything was gone. Their place of rest throughout their journey in Undermountain, where so many memories had been made, where the one she loved lived- all of it destroyed.

The drider frantically searched through piles, looking for any sign of life, any sign of _her_.

Without waiting a moment to think of a clearer message, she clutched her holy necklace and thought of Skella, casting a Sending spell of frantic words as she threw rubble aside.

“ _Are you alive? Where are you? Are you ok? Please, tell me you’re ok.”_

Silence filled the air as the spell sent, and the drider fell onto her eight shaking legs as the fragile hope in her heart began to crack. Her tears landed on the broken remains of the streets she once walked, walked with _her,_ as despair began to take hold. 

She couldn’t lose her twice. She couldn’t let her last memory of Skella be one of terror, and of Aera’s guilt at leaving her behind. She begged that her surroundings were just another twisted dream, that the wrecked remains of her one bit of comfort in this dungeon weren’t real. She held the remains of the buildings in her arms, sobbing as all hope began to fade away, desperately trying to hold on to the memories of the one she loved.

“ _Aera? My love? Is it really you? Where have you been? We’re at Castle Waterdeep, come quickly! They destroyed the boat, they destroyed everything!”_

Her eyes widened as Skella’s words reached her, relief flooding through the drider. She held on to the sound of her voice like a lifeline, her frantic breathing finally began to slow as a weak smile made its way onto her face. She brought a shaking hand to her necklace as she cast another Sending spell, trying to slow her racing thoughts enough for a coherent message.

“ _We were captured- we’ve been trapped in a dream, I never meant to be gone so long- I’m sorry, i’m so sorry,”_ Aera cried, voice breaking. There was so much she wanted to say, but all the magic she had would not be enough.

_“Don’t apologize, i’m just glad you’re alive, just come back soon, I love you.”_

She lay there a few moments longer as her sobs began to die down, the soothing words of Skella echoing in her mind, calming her. She finally rose back up, wiping the tears away as she looked once more to the scene of destruction around her.

She would do whatever it took to make sure she would never again see the fear in Skella’s eyes she had seen in the simulation, the memory burned into her mind. She had brought her so much happiness and peace after a life of fear, the one person who had allowed her emotional wounds to finally heal, who truly accepted her for who she was. Holding on to the memory of Skella’s voice, the feeling of her embrace, Aera knew with certainty that she would fight with all she had to make sure she would never lose her again.

⸻

The party made their return to the real Waterdeep at last, though it wasn’t the joyful return they had wished for. They moved quietly through the wreckage, careful not to alert their enemies that now controlled the city. 

There were none of the welcoming cheers that had greeted them upon their arrival in the dream Waterdeep, none of the bright colors and familiar buildings of their home. There were only ruins of the places they had known, and streets littered with the bodies of the people they had once lived alongside. 

They arrived at Castle Waterdeep, somewhere safe at last. The refugees looked to her fearfully as she walked through the halls, backing away as they saw her monstrous spider body. She kept her eyes to the ground, wrapping her arms around herself as she tried to draw her spider legs in closer. 

They reached their destination, and Aera looked up to see all of their friends waiting for them. And standing with them, looking at her with tears of happiness in her red eyes, was Skella. 

The duergar ran to her immediately, tackling her into a hug and kissing her. Aera held on tightly to her, the _real_ her, as tears began to fall. Her arms had not held her love in a year, but nothing felt more natural than holding her. Even though her return to the surface hadn’t been what she hoped for, she still had Skella. And even through the despair of seeing her home in ruins, the comforting embrace of her love brought her hope again.

⸻

After the battle was won and the celebrations had begun to calm down, Aera pulled Skella aside for a private conversation in one of the rooms of Castle Waterdeep. Once they were finally alone, the drider held one of Skella’s hands in her own as she gathered her thoughts.

“Do you… like the surface?” She asked, pausing a moment to calm her nerves. “I wish that I had gotten to show it to you, like I said back then. I should have been here with you, and I'm so sorry that I wasn’t.” She rubbed a thumb over their joined hands.

“I know. I wish you had been there too, but i’m just glad you’re here now.” Skella looked up at her with a warm smile. “I think I could make a life here, once it’s rebuilt. I can see why you love it so much. Seeing the sun rise for the first time... it’s exactly like you said it would be. It felt like meeting you.” Aera smiled at the memory of the words she had said so long ago.

“I’m glad you’re here too. When I saw Skullport, I was so worried, I thought I'd lost you-” Her voice began to break at the thought, and at the memory of leaving her behind in the simulated Waterdeep. She focused on the feeling of their hands together, at the warmth that she brought, and reminded herself that this was real, that she was really here. “i’m so happy you’re ok.”

“Well, now you know how I felt! But for a whole year!”

She felt so bad for what had happened, leaving her alone that long, but it wasn’t her choice. She was here now, and that’s what mattered. 

She was more sure than ever of what she wanted to do as she held the ring she had bought so long ago behind her back with her free hand. She would say this now, before the chance could be taken from her again.

“Making a life here… Is that something you would want to do?” Aera asked hopefully.

Skella looked to her warmly, before laughing and saying, “Honestly, after all this, I could live in a troglodyte cavern if it meant I could be with you.”

Her hands began to shake, running her hand over the ring, her heart racing faster than ever as she looked into the eyes of the one she loved.

“Once this is all over… Once the adventures are done and I can finally stay… would you want to live here with me?” As she spoke, she slowly began to pull the ring out from behind her back, revealing it to Skella.

The duergar seemed to glow with happiness, looking at her with eyes full of love before pulling her into a hug and kissing her. 

“Of course I would. More than anything.”

Her elven ears picked up a sound from the other side of the room, and as she turned to look she saw the orphan children of Waterdeep watching from the door. Their eyes went wide as they noticed her looking at them, and they all quickly ran away. Skella pulled Aera back to her, the two of them laughing together. 

She had gone through so much to get to where she was, had faced so many things that would haunt her forever, but if it meant she would get to keep hearing that laugh, then it was all worth it.

⸻

They only had a tenday together before the party had to make their return to the dungeon once more. She wished she could stay longer, but she treasured every moment she had with Skella. She walked around what remained of Waterdeep with her, telling her stories of when she lived here, what seemed to be a lifetime ago. 

She had been happy in Waterdeep, much happier than in her old life in the Underdark. But although she had a purpose in the temple, and the support of the other clerics, she never had someone that knew her as Skella did. As the two of them walked together in the sunlight, hands together, she knew that at last she had found what was missing. 

She held Skella tightly the last night they had together, never wanting to lose the feeling of her warmth. Skella did the same, and it pained her to know she had to leave her alone again- but whatever she faced, she knew she would make it through. For Skella, she had to.

The time came for the party to return to the Yawning Portal, back into Undermountain once more. Aera looked regretfully to Skella, knowing this would be the last she would see of her for a while. She held one side of Skella’s face in her hand, looking into her eyes one last time as she rubbed a thumb over her cheek.

“I’ll come back to you, my light. I promise. This will all be over, and then I can finally stay with you,” Aera said regretfully. 

Skella reached her hands up to Aera’s, sadness in her eyes, before pulling her into a tight hug, clutching onto her robes.

“Be safe. I’ll be waiting," the dwarf said quietly before pulling away. Aera smiled softly at her, leaning down to kiss her one last time. She lingered a moment longer, wanting to stay in her warmth- but as much as she wanted it to, this moment couldn’t last forever.

She walked at last into the inn, as the crowd of Waterdhavians cheered around the party. They shouted words of encouragement, tossing gold and flowers towards them, wishing them luck on their quest to defeat the Mad Mage- but there was only one face she focused on. She smiled at Skella as the party was teleported back into the dungeon, wanting to keep the sight of her in her memory forever.

She would make it through, for her. She would make it back to her. And once their adventures were done, she could finally have the happiness she’d always dreamed of, with Skella by her side. 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Some art!
> 
> ["Would you like to see the sun?"](https://www.instagram.com/p/B5V9K9tl6jL/)  
> [Aera writing in her diary](https://www.instagram.com/p/B57tGaKFbgi/)  
> [Wedding](https://www.instagram.com/p/B8w50eSFXPJ/)  
> [Destruction of Skullport](https://www.instagram.com/p/B_7z2JClIOQ/)


End file.
